Postmarking and canceling machine.



10.741,902. v PATENTED 0GT.20,1903.

' J. FRENCH.

POSTMARKING AND CANCELING MACHINE.

' APPLIOATIQN` FILED JAN. 2s, 1901.

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LPRBNGH.

POSTMARKING AND CANCELING MACHINE;

APPLIoATIoN FILED JAN. 2a, 1901.

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PATENTBD' OCT. 20, 1903.

\ J. FRENCH. A

POSTMARKING AND CANGELING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION HLED JAN. 2a, 1901. Y

No MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET a.l

PATENTBD'y OCT. 20, 1903.

J. FRENCH.

POSTMARKING AND CANGELING MACHINE'.

APPLIOATIQN FILED JAN. 2a, 1901.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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4 J. FRENCH.

POSTMARKING AND CANCELING MCHINE. Y APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 2s, 1901. No MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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PATENTED 00T. 20, 1903.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

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PATENTED OCT. 20, 1903..

No. 741,9o2-

- 4J. FRENCH.

POSTMARKING AND GANGBLING MACHINE;

APPLIGATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

16 SHEETS-SHEET '1.

N0 MODEL.

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PATENTBD 00T. zo, 1903.

` J. FRENCH. POSTMARKING AND GANGELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

16 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

N0 MODEL.

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No. 741,902. PATENTBD 00T. 20, 1903.

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POSTMARKINGAND GANGBLING MACHINE;

APPLIoATIoN HLED JAN. 2s, 1901. A

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-N0.'741,902. PATENTED OCT. 20, 190s.

I. FRENCH. POSTMANKING AND GANGELING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

N0 MODEL.` 16 SHEETS-SHEET 10. l

"re: mams PETERS co. marc-uwe.. WASHINGTON. n c,

No.' 741,902.y PATENTED UGT. 20, 1903.

J. FRENCH.

POSTMARKING AND GANGELING MACHINE.

^ APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2s, 1901. No MODEL'. lqsHTs-SHBBT 11..

No. 741,902. PATENTBD 00T. 2o, 190s.

FRENCH 1 PUSTMARKING-AND GAMBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23. 1901.

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No. 741,902. PATBNTBD 00T. zo, 190s.

J. FRENCH. POSTMARKING `AND GANGELING MACHINE.

y APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

N0 MODEL. 16 SHEETS-SHEET 18 I mi wams PnzRscoJPnarauTHo.. wAsNmcvou. u. c.

PATEIIIED OCT. 20, 1903.

LRBNGH. POSTMARKING AND GAMBLING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 23, 1901.

18 SHEETS-SHEET 14.

N0 MODEL.

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J. FRENCH. POSTMANKING AND CANGNLING MACHINE'.

'APPLITION FILED JAN. 23. 1901.

V16 SHEETS-SHEET' 15.

PATENTED OGfI. 20, 1903.

J. `FRENCH. Y NOSTMANKING AND GAMBLING-MACHINE.

`APPLIUMINN FILED JAN. 23. 1901.

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v Patented october eo, 1903.

JOSEPH FRENCH, or wOONsOOKn'r, RHODE ISLAND.

POSTMARKNG AND CYANCELlNG MACHINE.

.genommenen forming part'of Letters Patent No. 741,902, dated October 2o, 190e. Application filed January 28, 1201. Serial No. 44,490. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FRENCH, a citi` zen of the United States, residing at Woonsocket, in the county of Providence, State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Postmarking and Canceling Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in an improved machine which has been devised more esp'eeially for use for postmarking and canceling purposes in connection with cards and the like or for printing upon the same, many features thereof being adapted for use in connection with letters.

Having reference to the drawings, Figure l shows in plan a machine embodying my presentinvention. Fig. 2, Sheet 2,is a partlysectional view, looking from the right-hand side in Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a detail view in side elevation, on a small scale, showing chiefly the means of propelling the follower within the feed-receptacle. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a sectional detail view of portions of the follower that is located within the feed-receptacle. Fig. 5, Sheet 3, shows in plan the backing-roll, one side of the feed-receptacle, and the devices lfor acting upon the edges of a stack of cards within the feed-receptacle. Fig. 6, Sheet 3, is a viewin horizontal section, on an enlarged scale, of one of the bars 26 and the parts carried thereby. Fig. 7, Sheet 4, shows in elevation most of the parts of Fig. 5. Fig. 8, Sheet 5, shows certain parts which are located at and adjacent the inner end ofthe feedfreceptacle. Fig. 9, Sheet 6, shows in plan the inner end of a feed-receptacle and a number of parts that are adjacent thereto, the printing-roll being omitted in order to show parts that would be hidden thereby. Fig. 10, Sheet 6, is a view showing in horizontal section the end plate of the feed-receptacle and the feeder. Fig. 11, Sheet 7, is a plan of the inner end of the receptacle for receiving the cards after they have passed the printing devices, the follower' within said receptacle, and certain parts which are located at and adjacentl said end. Fig. l2, Sheet 8, shows in elevation the driving mechanism. Fig. 413, Sheet i), is a section on line 13 13, Fig. 12, looking in the direction that is indicated by the arrows adjacent the ends of such line. Fig. 14, Sheet 10, is a section on line 14 14, Fig. 12, looking in the direction that is indicated by the arrows at the ends of such line. Fig. 15,`Sheet 11, is a partly-sectional side elevation chieliy designed to show certain features of the detector, alarm, and stopping mechanism. Fig. 1G, Sheet 12, is a plan view showing chiefly the two-card detector mechanism and the alarm and stopping mechanism. Fig. 17, Sheet 12, is a sectionaldetail. Fig. 18, Sheet 13, is a plan view showing chiefly the misfed detector mechanism, the alarm, and stopping mechanism. Fig. 19, Sheet 14, is a plan view showing the features of Fig. 18 and in addi-V tion the detector mechanism operating on failure of a card to discharge from the printing devices. Fig. 20, Sheet 15, shows the printing-rollin plan. Fig. 21, Sheet 15, shows the said roll in side elevation. Fig. 22, Sheet 15, shows the said roll in transverse section on the vertical plane indicated by line 22 22, Fig. 23. Fig. 23, Sheet 15, shows the said roll in vertical section on a plane at right angles to Fig. 22. Fig. 24E, Sheet 16, shows the rocker 215 in plan, detached. Fig. 25, Sheet 16,`shows the said rocker in edge elevation. Fig. 26, Sheet 1G, shows the said rocker in end elevation. Fig. 27, Sheet 17, is a partly-seetional detail view of the inking arrangements.

The receptacle for the stack of cards or other articles to be postmarked and canceled or printed comprises the'` Opposite parallel sides 1 2, Fig. 1, and the end piece 3. The sides 1 2 are spaced apart at a distance corresponding with the length of the cards or other articles to be received within the Same. At the inner end of the said receptacle (see Figs. 1, 2, 8, 9) is located the reciprocatory` feeder 4, by means of which the cards or other articles are pushed successively part Way through the throat or passage-way 5, Figs. 1 and 9, at one side of the delivery ond of the said receptacle.

Within the supply-1eceptacle is placed the follower 6, Figs. 1 and 2, by means of which the contents of the said receptacle are pressed toward the said delivery end. rl'lhe follower is connected with the frame 7, Fig. 2, working in the slot 8, Figs. 1 and 2, formed in the ICO table ot themachinc and extending lon gitudinally of the latter, the said frame 7 (see Fig. 2) being furnished with a sleeve or tube 9, fitted and adapted to slide upon a guiderod 10, located within or below the said slot in the table and secured at its opposite ends to suitable supports formed or provided on the table. For the purpose of moving the follower-frame 7 and follower 6 with yielding force toward the delivery end of the said su pply-receptacle I connect with the followerframe A7 a long spiral spring 11, Figs. 2 and 3, (Fig. 2 being on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 3 on a much smaller scale.) In order'that said spring may act with substantially uniform stress atall times during the inward movement of the follower-frame and follower from the outer portion of the supply-receptacle toward the inner portion thereof-that is, without material difference in its tension-I employ a very long spring, the said spring extending from its point of attachment to the follower-frame 7, partly around a guide sheave or pulley 12, and down toward the base of the supporting-standard of the machine,the lower portion of the spring 11 receiving within it a rod 13, which is hooked at its lower end to a lug or plate 14, attached to the said base, the lower extremity of the spring 11 being made fast to a collar 15, which is adapted to be slid lengthwise upon the said rod and to be secured by means of a clamping-screw 16 at the desired point in the length of the said rod 13 to secure the requisite tension of the spring 11. For the purpose of securing easy movement ot' the sleeve or tube 9 uponv the guide-rod 10 and obviating any tendency of the said sleeve or tube to cramp'or bind in its movements I make the sleeve or tube 9 of considerable length, as shown.

For the purpose of steadying the followerframe 7 and follower 6 I forni the said follower-frame with opposite laterally-extending portions or arms 17 17Figs. 1 and 2, which vbear upon the finished surfaces 1S 18 on the top of the table 120 at opposite sides of the slot 8. These finished surfaces 18 18 also support the cards, the lower edges of the latter sliding thereon as the stack of cards is pushed toward the delivery end of the supply-receptacle by the action of the follower 6.

It happens sometimes that the stack of cards or other articles occupying the supplyreceptacle 148 will be thicker-t'. e., will take up more space measured lengthwise' of the said receptacle-at one side of the latter than at the other. With the object in view of securing uniform pressure against all parts of the stack notwithstanding variations in thickness like that just referred to I render the follower 6 self-adjusting upon the follower-frame 7 by loosely connect-ing it with the latter by means of a ball-antl-socket joint, as shown.

The ball-and-socket connection is indicated in Figs.2 and 4. In the said figures the convex part ofthe said joint is shown as constituted by the rounded periphery of a collar 19, the

periphery of ywhich constitutes a sph erical section, the reduced or rabbeted base of the said collar beingseated within a recess in one vertical face of the follower-frame 7, while the rim or fiange of the collar lies against the said vertical face. This construction and arrangement steadies the collar. The'follower 6 is formed with a partly-spherical concavity 20, Figs. 2 and 4, to receive the convex exterior ofthe said collar or washer, and also with a hole 21 through thesame, which hole is rabbeted at 22 on the side opposite the said concavity. A holding-bolt 23 passes through a hole in the follower-frame and through the collar 19, it receiving upon its threaded end the T-washer or flanged nut 2l, the flange of which occupies the rabbet 22 in the follower 6. This construction renders the follower 6 free to adjust itself in all directions-z'. c., universallyupon the follower-frame to the extent required in practice.

The throat or passage-way 5 at one side of the delivery end of the supply-receptacle, as aforesaid, Figs. 1 and 9, and into which the leading end of the foremost card or other article of the stack contained in the supply-rece`ptacle is pushed by the action of the feeder 4, is very narrow in order to guard as far as possible against the entrance of more than one card or the like into the said throat. The narrowness of the said throat which is requisite when handling cards would tend to interfere under certain conditions with the proper entrance of the leading end of acard into tho same. For example, difficulty would arise in case the leading end of the card should have become battered, and thereby thickened or slightly bent,or in case of warping of the cards. Again, when a considerable number of cards is comprised in the stack contained within the supply-receptacle the heaviest pressure practicable to be applied and maintained in compressing the same through the action of the follower 6 sometimes is found insufficient to Hatten the firstcardofthe stack againstthe end plate of the receptacle,so that wh en it is moved transversely by the action ofthe feederitsleading end shall pass properly into the throat 5. In order to obviate this disadvantage and insure that the leading end of arcard shall enter the throat 5 properly, I provide aseries of dogs 25, Figs. l, 5, 6, 7, and 9, which have their working ends arranged to act closely adjacent the throat 5. The said' working ends are intended to engage in the operation of the machine with the vertical edges of the cards at a short distance from the throat 5. These dogs 25 are carried by a series of bars 26, placed one above another and Working in horizontal slots 27, Fig. 7, extending in a direction lengthwise of the side plate 2 of the supply-receptacle. These bars 26 move longitudinally in unison, and the dogs 25 are movably mounted thereon, being projected by spring-pressure beyond the surface of the side plate into position to engage with end edges of the cards. Herein each dog 25 is fitted within a slot 271 in its carrying-har 26,

Fig. 6, it being connected with the said bar by means of a vertical pivot 23, and the tail of the dog is acted upon by a light spring 29, also contained within the said slot. For the purpose of actuating the bars 26 in unison I provide a slide 30, Figs. l, 5, and 7, at the back or outer side of the side plate 2, the said slide having a longitudinal slot 3l, Fig. 7, therein, through which passes the stem of a threaded stud or bolt 33, Figs. l, 5, and 7,`

projecting outwardly from the side plate 2, the said slide being held against the outer side of the side plate 2 by means of a loose collar 34 on the stud or bolt, actedI upon by a compression-spring 35, surrounding the said stud or `bolt, the said spring being held under tension by means of the nut 36, applied io the threaded portion ofthe stud or bolt. For the actuation of the slide 39 automatically I provide convenient means, herein constituted by the rocker 37, Figs. 5 and 7, having the vertical arm 371 thereof connected with the slide 30, the cam 38 on the main shaft .102 of the machine acting on the horizontal arm of the rocker 37 and the spring 39`acting in opposition to the said cam. A threaded stud or bolt 40, Fig. 7, extending downward from a suitable fixed part 409, Fig. 7, of the frame of the machine, passes through a hole in the said rocker and receives the spring thereon below the latter, a collar 41 being interposed between the spring 39 and rocker 37 and the tension of the spring 39 being conveniently regulated by means of a nut 42 on the threaded part of the stud or bolt 40. The pivotal mounting of the dogs 25 upon the carrying-bars 26 enables them to recede into the slots 271 of the said bars as they ride past the end edges of the cards in the receding movements of the bars 26. 'In the advancing movement of the bars 26 the engaging ends of the dogs 25 catch behind the ends of the cards and push the said ends forward toward the far side of the throat 5. The force of the springs 29, which bear against the tails ofy the dogs 25 in the slots 271 of the said carryingfbars 26, is sufficient to cause the backs of the dogs 25 in the receding movement of the bars 26 to hold slightly to the edges of the cards and bend the same reversely--that is to say, away from the throat 5. This acts while such re ceding movement is taking place to lessen the pressure which is exercised` against the first card-et'. e., the one about to be fed thronghthe throat 5--by the succeeding cards during the feed of the end card or other article inthe supply-receptacle and reudersit easier for the said first card to be moved into and through the throat 5 bythe action of the parts which are concerned in occasioning the endwise movement of the card asit leaves the supply-receptacle. The importance of this will be appreciated in view of the fact that in the present machine after the first card in the supply-receptacle has been started through the throat 5 by the action of the feeder 4 the further onward movement of the said card is effected through the action of the printing devices. This reverse bending of the edges of the cards also lessens the tendency of the second card to pass into the throat 5.` For the purpose of enabling the slide 30 and dogs 25 to be operated by hand when required I provide the rocker 37 with a handle 373, Figs.

l and 5. This enables parts to be operated to place the edges of the cards to be carried forward properly preparatory to instituting the automatic action of the machine after placing a fresh lot in the feed-receptacle.

For the purpose of avoiding injury to the edges of the cards as the dogs 25 act to push the ends of the cards toward the throat 5 the advancing movement of the bars 26 is made yielding through theinterposition of a spring or springs 32 at a suitable point in the train of devices. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention I have introduced a light spring 32 between each bar 26 and the slide 30, thereby rendering each bar 26 capable of yielding independently. To this end (see more especially Figs. l, 5, and 7) the rear extremity of each bar 26 is bent outward at right angles to the length of the bar and has attached thereto a threaded stud or bolt 43, passing through a hole in an outwardly-projecting lug 44 on the slide 30. A spiral spring 32 on the stem of the said bolt or stud is compressed between the end of bar 26 and a washer 46,'bearing against the said lug or ear 44. Nuts 47 on the studs or bolts 43 serve to adjust the position of the bars 26 and their dogs 25.

The inner 4or throat end of each bar 26 is rabbeted, and the rabbeted portion passes behind the pin 4S.

The end piece 3 at the inner end of the feed-receptacle is shaped in plan as shown in Figs. l and 9. Its inner portion is designed to receive the pressure which is transmit-ted through the stack of cards, while to the right of this portion the said end piece is curved forwardly to afford room for the working of the feeder 4. The said feeder is arranged to work transversely across the inner end of the supply-receptacle, and it is furnished with a series of spring-pressed dogs 49, Figs. 8 and 10, which are designed to engage with the right-hand end of the first card, so as to cause the said card to be advanced endwise when the inward movement of the feeder 4 takes place. The dogs 49 are located in recesses 50 in the feeder 4, one above another, as clearly indicated in Fig. 8, and are pivoted upon a vertical pin 5l. Each dog 49 is acted upon by an expansion spiral spring 52, which tends to project the dog 49 from its containingslot, the outward play of the dog 49 being limited by means of a vertical pin 53, passing through an enlarged hole 54 in the dog. The said pin 53 coperates with all the dogs 49. WhenV the feeder 4 is in its extreme righthand position, the springs 52 IOO IIO

hold the engaging portions of the `dogs 49 49 projected into position to engage with the right-hand end of the first card in the advancing end of the said feeder 4 towardl the left, so as to cause the said card to be carried forward with the feeder 4. In the return movement of the feeder 4 toward the right the pressure of the second card causes the dogs 49 49 to recede into their containing-slots. The tooth or engaging portion of each dog 49 is eccentrically disposed with relation to the pivot 51 of the dog 49, Fig. 10, the said engaging portion or tooth being considerably to the front of the said pivot 5l and somewhat toward the free end of the dog 49. This construction operates to cause the resistance which the card engaged thereby oers to being propelled by the movement of the feeder 4 to bring about a still firmer engagement of the dog 49 with the card, for such resistance acts with a tendency to cause the face 491 ofthe dog 49 in front of said tooth or engaging portion thereof to .be pressed with a proportionately-increased force toward the said card. In other words, the resistance which the card oers to being moved through the engagement of the dog 49 therewith acts to cause the face of the dog 49 adjacent to the free extremity thereof to swing outward toward the card itself. The eccentric mounting of the dogs 49 49 causes the same to be projected by the action of their springs 52 until the faces thereof bring up against the surface of the iirst card in the supply-receptacle. Consequently in case the right-hand end of the said iirst card should not be in close contact with the face of the feeder 4 the said dogs will swing outwardly until their faces at the left of the teeth or engaging portions make contact with the surface of the said card, which will place their teeth or engaging portions in proper positions relatively to the right-hand end of the said card to engage with the said end when the feeder 4 is moved inward-15. e., to the left.

For the purpose of bridging the space between the feeder 4 and the inner portion of the end piece 3 the feeder4 has affixed thereto a plate 541, Figs. 8, 9, and 10, formed with a number of tongues 55 55, working in shallow depressions 56 56 in the face ofthe end piece 3. The feeder 4 is mounted to slide transversely across the inner end of the supply-receptacle'on guidesI 551, Figs. 2, 8, and 9, and for the purpose of actuating the same (see Figs. S and 9) it has connected pivotally thereto the free extremity of the arm or rod 59, provided with a strap 57, surrounding the eccentric 58 on the upright rotating sleeve 76.

60, Figs. 8, 9, and 10, designates a throatpiece, fixed adjacent the inner portion of the end piece 3 and the inner end of the side plate 2. The throat 5, through which the cards are caused to pass successively, exists between the proximate portions of the said throat-piece 60 and side plate 2. To the throat-piece 60 I apply the series of tongues 61 61, having the exposed faces thereof ar- 'atroce ranged to form one side of the throat 5, and to the side plate 2 I apply a somewhat similar set of tongues 62 62, having the free ends thereof disposed in position to form the other side of the said throat 5. The forward surface of the first card presses against the said exposed faces of the said tongues 61, while the left-hand end of the said card and of the corresponding ends of a few cards next succeeding the same make contact with the exposed side faces of the tongues 62. The tongues 62 62 are square-shouldered, and the space or passage-way normally existing between the side faces of tongues 61 61 and the ends of the tongues G2 62, such space constituting the throat 5, is parallel-sided. This passage-way or space corresponds subst-antially with the thickness of a card in order to prevent more than one card from entering at a time, except when two cards are firmly stuck together,being made just alittle greater than the said thickness in order that a card may move .through the said throat without meeting with undue resistance. The tongues 6l 61 are fitted to slots 63, Fig. 10, in the throat-piece 60 and are backed up by springs 64, (see Figs. 9 and 10,) which act with a tendency to hold the faces of the said tongues in their normal positions. Similarly the tongues 62 62 are placed within the slots 65 65 in the end of the side plate 2 and are backed up by springs 66 66,which act with a tendency to hold the said tongues pressed forward into their normal working positions. The precise number of tongues 61 6l G2 62 employed is not material. The dogs 25 25, which, as before stated, have their working ends arranged to act closely adjacent the throat 5, alternate in any desired vertical order with the tongues 62- 62.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that the sides of the throat 5 are yielding, one side being made yielding in the direction in which the cards are pressed by the follower in the supplyreceptacle and the other side being-made yielding in the direction of the endwise movement of a card in being carried transversely out of the supplyreceptacle. The reason for this is that for various causes two cards sometimes becomeY so firmly stuck together that both move together under the action of the feeder 4, the union between the two cards being so strong that if the second card is held from passing through the throat 5 the first card will resist being advanced so strongly that the dogs 49 of the feeder 4 are very liable to tear or injure the said first card as the feeder makes its inward movement. For the purpose of avoiding injury to the first card under such circumstances the sides of the throat 5 are made yielding, as described. The object in giving the sides of the throat 5 a sectional construction and rendering the component parts of each side independently yielding is to compensate for various injuries to the cards which would tend to interfere with a IOO IOS

IIO 

